Meerko vs Apollo

The open-source
Apollo alternative.

Apollo is a sales platform with a contact database, sequences and pipeline tools. Meerko is an open-source AI sales agent you run from Claude Code: self-host it for free and keep every lead in your own Postgres, or use Meerko Cloud from $49/mo.

Start free Import a Apollo CSV

Feature	Meerko	Apollo
Paid plans from	$49/mo (Cloud Pro)	$49/mo (Basic), as listed^[1]
Free plan	1,000 credits on Cloud	Free plan with no time limit^[1]
Email sequences	From your own Gmail	Included from Basic^[1]
What credits pay for	Found and verified emails, lead search	Emails, phone numbers, warmup, mailboxes and more^[1]

Apollo facts from Apollo's own pages, checked 6 Oct 2026. Prices are billed monthly.

Where Apollo is stronger

Phone numbers, call recording and advanced CRM integrations on Professional.^[1]
Pipeline tools to manage deals and track engagement, built in.^[1]

Only with Meerko

Open source (AGPL-3.0). Read, fork and audit every line.
Self-host for $0. Run it on your own infra with your own provider keys.
Your Postgres. Self-hosted, every lead, email and reply stays in your database.

How much does Apollo cost?^[1]

Free

For exploring Apollo or light use; stays free with no time limit.

Basic

$49/mo

For individual sellers: email sequencing and core integrations.

Professional

$99/mo

Higher credit limits, AI features, call recording and advanced CRM integrations.

Custom

Custom volumes, SSO, advanced security and dedicated support.

Prices as listed in the plan data on Apollo's pricing page, which doesn't say whether they reflect monthly or annual billing: check with Apollo before you buy. All seats on an account are on the same plan.

Switch in an afternoon

Bring your Apollo tables with you.

1Export your Apollo table as CSV.
2Import it: unknown columns become Meerko columns.
3Ask your agent to enrich, write a sequence and start it.

zsh — import

$ meerko tables create "Fintech CTOs"
Created table "Fintech CTOs" (8f2c…)
$ meerko tables import 8f2c… apollo-export.csv
Imported 1240 rows. New columns: linkedin, title, funding
› enrich them and draft a 3-step sequence

Questions

How much does Apollo cost?

Apollo's pricing page lists a Free plan, Basic at $49/mo and Professional at $99/mo, plus a Custom plan priced by its sales team. Check the billing period with Apollo.

Is there a free version of Apollo?

Yes. Apollo says its free plan stays free with no time limit.

Is there an open-source alternative to Apollo?

Meerko is open source under AGPL-3.0: self-host it for free with your own provider keys, or use Meerko Cloud, which starts free with 1,000 credits.

Other comparisons

Sources

[1] Apollo pricing

The open-sourceApollo alternative.